Fault interrupt module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11018490-B2
Application number	US-201916246710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2019
Priority date	Feb 7, 2018
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A fault interrupt module includes a detector circuit, a counter circuit, and a switch circuit. The detector circuit is configured to detect faults as a difference in current between an input power line and a neutral line. The counter circuit configured to increment a fault count each time a fault is detected by the detector circuit, and the switch circuit is configured to terminate power to a load upon the fault count reaching a threshold count within a threshold time period.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fault interrupt module comprising:
a detector circuit configured to detect faults as a difference in current between an input power line and a neutral line;
a counter circuit configured to increment a fault count each time a fault is detected by the detector circuit;
a switch circuit configured to terminate power to a load upon the fault count reaching a threshold count within a threshold time period;
a first timer configured to output a first pulse for a first time period upon receipt of the detector pulse; and
a second timer configured to output a second pulse for a second time period upon receipt of the detector pulse, wherein the threshold time period is the second time period.

2. The fault interrupt module of claim 1 , wherein the second time period is greater than the first time period.

3. The fault interrupt module of claim 1 , wherein the switch circuit is further configured to terminate the power to the load during the first pulse.

4. The fault interrupt module of claim 1 , wherein the counter circuit is configured to output a counter pulse upon the fault count reaching the threshold count within the second time period.

5. The fault interrupt module of claim 4 , further comprising a latch configured to latch the counter pulse to maintain the switch circuit in an OFF state.

6. The fault interrupt module of claim 1 , wherein the load is an aircraft heated floor panel.

7. A method of controlling input power to a load, the method comprising:
detecting, by a detector circuit, faults on the input power;
outputting, by a detector circuit, a detector pulse upon detection of each of the faults;
incrementing, by a counter circuit, a fault count upon receipt of the detector pulse;
terminating, by a switch circuit, the input power upon the fault count reaching a threshold count within a threshold time period;
outputting, by a first timer circuit, a first pulse upon receipt of the detector pulse; and
terminating, by the switch circuit, the input power during the first pulse.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein detecting, by the detector circuit, the faults on the input power comprises detecting a difference in current between an input power line and a neutral line.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
outputting, by a second timer circuit, a second pulse, greater than the first pulse, as the threshold time period upon receipt of the detector pulse.

10. The method of claim 9 , and wherein the method further comprises:
outputting, by the counter circuit, a counter pulse if the fault count reaches the threshold count within the second pulse.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
latching the counter pulse as a latched signal; and
providing the latched signal to the switch circuit, wherein the switch circuit is configured to terminate the input power based on the latched signal.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the input power is alternating current (AC) power and the load is a heated floor panel for an aircraft.

13. A circuit configured to control input power to a load, the circuit comprising:
an input coil configured to output a difference in current between an input line that carries the input power and a neutral return line;
a detector circuit configured to output a detector pulse when the difference in current is greater than a threshold value;
a counter circuit configured to increment a fault count each time the detector circuit outputs the detector pulse;
a solid state relay circuit configured to terminate power to the load upon the fault count reaching a threshold count;
a first timer configured to output a first pulse for a first time period upon receipt of the detector pulse; and
a second timer configured to output a second pulse for a second time period upon receipt of the detector pulse.

14. The circuit of claim 13 , wherein the second time period is greater than the first time period.

15. The circuit of claim 13 , wherein the solid state relay circuit is further configured to terminate the power to the load during the first pulse.

16. The circuit of claim 13 , wherein the counter circuit is configured to output a counter pulse upon the fault count reaching the threshold count within the second time period.

17. The circuit of claim 16 , further comprising a latch configured to latch the counter pulse to maintain the solid state relay in an OFF state.

Assignees

• Goodrich Corp

Inventors

• Shearer Jon

Classifications

• H02H3/07

  and with permanent disconnection after a predetermined number of reconnection cycles · CPC title

• H02H3/33

  using summation current transformers (H02H3/347 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y02B30/00

  Energy efficient heating, ventilation or air conditioning [HVAC] · CPC title

• H02H1/0007

  concerning the detecting means (in general G01R or other subclasses of G01; reed switches H01H71/2445) · CPC title

• B64D11/00

  Passenger or crew accommodation; Flight-deck installations not otherwise provided for · CPC title